Monday, August 03, 2009

The Post-NCLB Superintendent

Parents also questioned Friendship's credentials, citing problems at its high school, Collegiate Academy, which is in "corrective action," a lesser form of federal sanction, because of poor test scores.

That's from an article on DC high schools, where "Friendship" is Friendship Public Charter School, being brought in by Rhee to turn around a failing high school. Apparently, by the currently legally binding definition of "failing high school," Friendship's NYC 9-12 high school is failing, too, so they have exactly zero track record in doing this job. According to federal law.

Also:

In a statement, Rhee spokeswoman Jennifer Calloway said, "Over the next three years DCPS expects to see significant increases in student achievement, with dramatic improvements in instructional rigor, school culture and climate and student engagement."

Again, according to the current law, none of that crap matters. It is just all hand-wavy happy talk. Are you going to make AYP? Why are they going to make AYP in DC when they couldn't in NYC?

That's all schools in every city in America have been asked for the past seven years, and it is still the law. Funny how it doesn't seem to apply to Michelle Rhee's DC. It's like the place is being run by a bunch of Birkenstock-wearing hippies.